The liar and the navigator
by moonbird
Summary: *Friendship fic* a couple of scenes between Nami and Usopp, as the two 'normal' people on the crew, they share a special understanding with each other, and have some few conversations together through-out their journey.
1. Chapter 1

"

Nami and Usopp, Usopp and Nami, they had a unique relationship among the straw-hats, well. When more people were around Usopp was just a typical boy just like most other in the crew, and Nami sat him in his place when he was being to silly.

It was when the two were alone together, it happened very rarely as the ship was always full of life, and when it did happen it wasn't for very long. But some-how, their relationship was a little bit more different when it was just the two of them and nothing was going on.

They had a special bond, being the two weakest in the entire crew, the two 'normal' ones.. though normal in this crew standards still meant Usopp, whom was a very peculiar person as far as Nami was concerned. But they shared a certain understanding.

And when they were together, both seemed more relaxed, Usopp didn't act like such a brat, always boosting, running around and telling lies.

And Nami didn't behave like such a witch, slapping the boys around, yelling how immature they were.

When they for a rare instance were together.. they could just be. Like a brother and sister where very little had to be said for each to understand. They were family, brother and sister, always ready to look out for each other, no more needed to be said.

This relationship had taken a while to form, in the beginning Nami didn't think much of Usopp, he never spend time with her as he was to busy running around with Luffy being an idiot.

Well, she did like him, even admire him and his inventiveness, but he was just that, one of the boys.

Then, it had broken open before Alabasta, where Nami had come to Usopp with her request, and Usopp had understood her immediately, he knew exactly how she felt!

And Nami knew he knew how she felt, and they shared some-thing, some-thing no-body else in the crew had. This common understanding.

It was after Alabasta that Nami decided to spend some more time with Usopp, when she caught him in a very very rare moment of being alone.

He was never alone! Either he would work on his projects, either on the deck where every-body else was, or in the galley where Sanji was cooking or in the infirmary where he kept Chopper company when Chopper was making his medicin, and both could work in silence.

Or, Usopp would run around being an idiot with Luffy while playing or fishing. Or he would actually be training his marksmanship with his slingshot. Or he would be fixing up the entire ship singlehandedly!

It's funny that when you start really paying attention, you realise the person you thought of as an idiot wasting his time away on silliness were actually working incredible hard all the time, and the time he used for fun was well earned.

But some-times Nami did succeed.

"Hallo Usopp what are you doing?" Nami asked as Usopp was sitting alone in the galley working on some project

"ARGH!" Usopp screamed in surprise as he almost dropped his things, apparently he had been in deep concentration. "Don't do that! I could have blown myself up."

"Oh." Nami blinked.

Usopp sighed. "I am making fire-bird stars." He told showing a little black ball in his hand. "it's a lot of gun-powder compacted into this, with a few other secret ingrediences." He told.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Nami asked.

"Well that is the point." Usopp pointed out. "If it's not dangerous, then how can it do any harm to the enemy?" he asked.

And Nami shook her head amused.

Soon, Usopp would surprise Nami by starting to search her out as well.. in the few instances she wasn't together with a bunch of people. When you life on a tight packed ship in the ocean, that was just rare.

One such instance, was when Nami was alone on night watch, it was chilly up there, and Nami sincerely wished she had brought a blanket.

Then her rescuer came. "Hallo Nami." Usopp greeted as he crawled up with a blanket over his back and a thermostat most likely filled with either tea, coffe or hot chocolate. "Sanji asked me to get you this." Usopp told as he threw the thermostat at Nami. "I thought maybe you would be needing an extra blanket." He grinned as he threw the blanket to Nami, then swung both his legs up in the look-out barrel. "How are you doing."

"You're a life safer Usopp." Nami smiled as she opened the thermostat and was rewarded by the smell of hot chocolate. "I'm surprised Sanji didn't come up with this." She admitted.

"Oh he wanted to, but he had a soup cooking on the bones from our meal, and he had to watch over it so Luffy wouldn't watch past and eat it all." Usopp grinned. "I wouldn't wonder if he is going to sleep in the galley tonight."

Nami chuckled. "If that is the only way." She shook her head as she sipped to her hot chocolate. "Ahh, Sanji makes the best hot chocolate." She told.

"Sanji makes the best every-thing!" Usopp pointed out. "I especially love his fish-soup, I swear it taste just like the one my mother used to cook. Maybe the baratie stole her recipe." He laughed.

"You can really remember your moms cooking?" Nami asked. "Even though you were so little?"

"Oh yes sure, I remember my mother." Usopp told.

"How was she?" Nami asked. "

"She was really nice and gentle, kind of shy and quiet. She tended to be really nervous around people" Usopp told in a happy voice, filled with nostalgia.

"Couldn't you have inherited more of those traits?" Nami asked with a lifted eye-brow.

"Hey!" Usopp exclaimed. "I did inherit a lot, she's the one whom taught me how to draw! She loved to paint herself you see, she especially loved to paint oil paintings of the ocean."

It was kind of refreshing that Usopp didn't lie and told his mother was a sea goddess, but then again why would he? She was his mother, and obviously Usopp had loved her just as she was.

"How about you?" Usopp asked. "How was your mother?" he asked.

"Strong." Nami told. "Very passionate, I could always feel safe with her. She was a former marine you know." She pointed out and Usopp nodded. "She left the marines just to take care of me and my sister, and she could sure handle it, even with two irresponsible kids like me and my sister. She could put herself in respect and keep order in the house, but it was just because she loved her, you always felt so safe when she was around." Nami sighed.

"Sounds like we had two incredible different mothers." Usopp pointed out.

"Hm yeah, I guess that's sort of funny." Nami chuckled. "But I am sure they were both great people."

"Hai!" Usopp grinned.

Beginning to know people, you started to realise how their mood swings actually worked.

Luffy would be obvious, he never tried to hide any-thing, if he was sad he would be sad, if he was happy, he was genuinely happy.

Chopper would try to hide his feelings… but he was terrible at it, if Chopper was sad, any idiot would be able to tell.

Sanji and Zoro were to very proud stubborn men, whom wouldn't let such a dumb thing as feelings get in the way of their pride. But they could still be read as open books by Nami.

Robin how-ever.. Nami could just never tell what the woman was actually feeling, it was impossible. And then there was Usopp, and being a liar, Usopp would try and hide his feelings.

Slowly Nami started to realise more and more. The lies, the boosting.. it was all a mask, that Usopp used to hide his true feelings.

And the more he lied, the worse he actually was. And lately, as Merry had gradually become worse and worse for wear, Usopp's lies had grown more and more frequent, Usopp had become louder and louder, which Nami now knew meant the opposite, Usopp wasn't well.

It had been ages since the two had had a quiet conversation where no lies had been involved, and ones again it has been impossible for Nami to capture the teen.

Though finally, after they had left Skypia and they had that whole stupid incident with the foxy pirates, Nami managed to find him, as he sat on the railing alone, working on some-thing with a screw driver.

"Hallo Usopp." Nami greeted him quietly. She had learned not to be to brash when he was working. Usopp thought didn't answer, obviously trying to ignore her. "How are you doing Usopp?" Nami asked.

"Oh Nami." Usopp turned to her with a vague smile on his lips. "I'm great." He told in a smile.

It was not the answer Nami had hoped for at all and she pouted. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah." Usopp told turning to his work, and Nami jumped up, sitting on the railing next to Usopp, front to the ocean.

"Usopp why do you have to lie all the time!?" Nami asked annoyed. "It's a bad habbit you know!"

Usopp blinked, then looked surprised at Nami. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Just answer me." Nami asked.

"Erhm well." Usopp swallowed. "I guess… it's just the only way I know of." He muttered silently returning to his work.

"And?" Nami asked in a enquiring tone.

"It's the only way I know how to cheer people up." Usopp muttered. "It was the only way to cheer mom up, only way to make Kaya happy, only way to give my young long-nose pirates some fun. It's just the only way I know." he flat out told.

Nami nodded as she silently sat beside him. "I all-ready knew that." she at last admitted. "But what about the rest of the time?" she asked.

Usopp blinked as he turned to Nami.

"When people don't need cheering up persay, but you lie about your pirate crew any-how." Nami pointed out.

Usopp exhaled deeply. "Trying to make myself look big an imposing I suppose." he murmured collecting his knees in his arms.

"It's not working." Nami pointed out.

"I know." Usopp admitted. "I just don't know what else to do, I don't know of any other way to defend myself." he finally told in a sigh. "The truth is, I am of cause terrified in battles, some-times I am so scarred that I am about to go blind with fear." he whispered. "But it's not just in battle, it's the rest of the time to." he murmured.

Nami blinked. "The rest of the time?"

"At least ones a day, even though we are sailing around just relaxing.. often more times a day." Usopp whispered. "But I don't want to be so scared, I don't want any body on this ship to see me as a coward! I don't want to let this crew down, so I lie."

Slowly Nami moved closer to Usopp, before she collected her hands in her lap. "What are you scared off?" she asked.

"I don't know, lots of things I suppose." Usopp shrugged. "That a big sea-king will come and eat us all, that Sanji will come after me and Luffy again." then Usopp leaned his head in his hand. "That they will all figure out that I am not in their league at all, and don't belong here after-all." he muttered more sadly. "That I'll never catch up to them, that I'll just be their burden, that I'll never become a brave warrior of the sea, because I just don't have it in me." He sighed deeply holding his project. "It seemed so obvious back in the day, you know?" he asked turning to Nami. "Back with my tiny make belief pirate crew, I was like their cool big brother, I made things up for them. I made it all work by myself, it was just me and my little house, my little gang, Kaya. And I made it work, it was all just me and I was the big boss, helping every-body. It seemed so obvious that I could do more" he told clutching his project. "But it's so different out here.. It's nothing like I could ever have imagined."

"Do you regret it?" Nami asked.

"What? NO!" Usopp exclaimed looking almost shocked on Nami. "Not one second of it, being here is the best thing that ever happened to me, I just." He exhaled deeply as he looked to the ocean. "Wonder if I am of any use to this crew, if I'm not just in the way and nothing else.. And I wonder whether they are going to realise that sooner or later or not."

Nami hesitated slightly as she leaned over the railing. "Have you talked to any-one else in the crew about this?" she asked.

"No." Usopp muttered hanging his head.

Nami blinked honestly surprised. "Why then are you telling me it?" she asked. "I mean, out of all of the people here."

At that Usopp turned his head and met Namis eyes, for a second their eyes were locked as Usopp answered truthfully. "Because you are the only one here on this ship, whom would understand."

Nami lost her breath, as if she had received a slight punch as she looked at Usopp, then he turned back to his work as if nothing had happened.

Nami shook her head, as to shake it all off, then she finally took courage to herself, and crawled up to sit beside Usopp on the railing, her feet dangling across the ocean.

"I guess we are both kind of out of our depths out here some-times." Nami at last had to acknowledge in a slight nod. "I mean just look at me and my stupid money." She shook her head. "for me, that is just the only way _I _know of to keep people safe! If have lots of money, I have a way to keep people safe, to be of use. Silly isn't it?" she asked.

"I don't think so." Usopp told. "You're right after-all, we do need you to worry about such things, and there is one major difference." Usopp pointed out as he held up a hollow iron bar and look through it with a squinted eye. "You may not be the strongest in battle Nami, but without you." At that he lowered the pipe and grinned at Nami. "We would be sincerely screwed at sea!" he stated.

"Ah, it's nothing, any decent sailor can plot a course." Nami stated, though blushing by the compliment.

"I sure can't." Usopp pointed out. "And for god's sake, don't ever ask Zoro to do it!" he asked, that indeed made Nami laugh.

"Okay I see your point." Nami smiled amused as she leaned back, looking smiling up in the sky. "Though Usopp, come to my cabin one day, I'll teach you." She offered.

"Huh?" Usopp looked at Nami.

"To plot a course." Nami elaborated. "It would only be sensible if more people on this ship could be able to do some-thing as simple as plotting a course." She told with rolled eyes.

"I would love to!" Usopp almost beamed. "It sounds great, though, I'm never going to be as good as you." He pointed out, again making Nami smile amused.

"Of cause not." Nami told. "But that doesn't mean you are useless Usopp." She told as she brushed her hand over the railing.. she was sitting untop of a patched up part, definitely Usopp's handy work, because it was the nicest looking patchwork on the ship, Zoro's and Luffys attempts all looked very more sloppy, and if it was their patch work, Nami and Usopp for sure wouldn't have been able to sit on it like that. "For one thing, without you around our flag would still look like shit!" Nami pointed out.

At that Usopp bursted out laughing. "Oh thank you." He laughed as he wiped a tear away from his eye. "I needed that." He smiled looking up at the flag above them. "It was nothing though." He told.

"Usopp stop being hard on yourself!" Nami demanded as she hit him over the head. "You have some very rare talents, so quit it all-ready." She hissed crossing her arms.

"Auw!" Usopp hissd. "Careful! I almost dropped it!" he told turning to Nami, true enough clutching the metal objects he had been sitting with.

Nami lifted an eye-brow. "What is it any-way?" she asked Usopp looking at the strange device.

"Well, I just thought now that you've become used to use the clima-tech, maybe it was time you wanted an update." Usopp told raising the pipe looking into it again. "The first one was mostly just about me trying to figure it out really, so it's not perfect, I thought I could do it better now, and by putting in some impact dials from Skypia, the power can potentially become massive."

"It's for me?" Nami asked in a blink, at ones feeling incredible bad about scaring Usopp like that.

"Sure it is." Usopp grinned. "I think we are both due for better weapons, don't you?" he asked Nami.

"You build some-thing for yourself as well?" Nami asked interested.

Usopp blinked at her, in that mischievous way of his.

"What is it? what is it?" Nami asked excited grabbing his overalls straps.

"Oh easy Nami, you'll see soon enough." Usopp blinked. "I want to make my reveal at the right time, but trust me, it's awesome." He grinned. "Here." He handed over the pipes he had been working on. "Maybe this time, the two of us could take some time off to do some test runs before you use it in battle." He blinked.

"Ohh." Wide-eyed Nami looked at the object in her hands, then held it up. "It's heavier." She noted.

"I took out the party tricks and replaced them with the impact dials, which will magnify the energies, such as heat and cold, so it's a lot more powerful." Usopp told.

"And you keep insisting you have no uses to the crew." Nami turned to him, pointing tongue at him. "Usopp, have you any idea how amazing it is you can build stuff like this?" she asked.

"I don't really think about it, I just build." Usopp confessed. "It's nothing special, really."

"It's so odd you don't even know." Nami commented weighing her new clima tech. "Didn't your parents ever praise you or any-thing? They must have been proud."

Usopp silenced, and then Nami realised. "Oh.. sorry." She mumbled, remembering how young Usopp's mother had been when she died, and that Usopp had no memory of his father. "But the villagers at least." She asked.

"Njaah, I was a trouble maker." Usopp grinned. "If I ever let them catch me, all I got would be a good portion of spanking." He chuckled. "And well deserving so." He at last admitted, rubbing his cheek, as if he had just been hit right there.

"Usopp, you're impossible." Nami shook her head.

Unfortunately.. Usopp and Nami didn't get to practise with the new clima tech, because before either one of them knew it, they were at Water seven.

And in Water Seven.. things just became awfully complicated.

* * *

_AN; Well... I can see how romance could be implied in this fic.. But let me assure you, this is not intentional! i do think Nami and Usopp has a very special relationship, and if any-body on the crew would ever work as a couple.. well.. I just don't see any-body else working together to be honest. _

_Any-way, by very furthest, romance will only be implied and nothing else, this is the furthest this fic will go, you'll have to write your own fic if you want Usopp Nami romance. _

_Hope you enjoy regardless though, cause I do indeed think that Usopp and Nami has a nice relationship going on in the Manga, they actually do spend a lot of time together if you think about it, not in the down-time though.. only when there is danger around Oda apparently just LOVES putting the two weakest out there all alone... I'm sure Usopp and Nami are very greatefull Oda... of all people you could put out on a Zombie island, you picked Usopp, Nami and Chopper.. it was awesome and funny. But still.. cruel Oda, very cruel. _


	2. Chapter 2

Usopp… was exhausted! Physically.. emotionally.. all over. Just exhausted.

Water Seven…Enies Lobby.. what a ride. They had just managed to escape the marines using the new coup de burst, he had partied along with his crew to celebrate the return of Robin and the adding of Franky and Sunny to the crew.

Luffy claimed the celebration was also for Usopp and his return, but Usopp didn't want to draw to much attention to that and his involvement in Enies Lobby.

Now it was evening, the sun had gone down, it was semi dark, and things had at last gotten quiet giving Usopp the time to realise how exhausted he was.

He hadn't been able to rest for as much as a second while at Water seven, his head constantly gruelling over how he was supposed to get back with the crew, nervousisty constantly taking over his body, thoughts and most of them anxious and nervous constantly hitting him in the head and disturbing any sleep or concentration.

Unfortunately.. those thoughts weren't gone at all even though he was back on the ship.. they had started forming and wear him down, unlike any-thing he had ever tried.

And even though Usopp thought he would appreciate the silence, he really didn't, more he wished for a distraction now.

His wish was being granted as foot-steps sounded behind him.

Usopp turned around and smiled lightly. "Ah Nami." He greeted as the girl walked closer and closer.. with a rather angry look on her face. "Nami.. what?" Usopp asked confused, and in the next second, Usopp received one big massive slap on his cheek, stinging so bad that Usopp was sure it would leave a mark. Wide-eyed Usopp looked at Nami, in complete shock. "What the hell was that fo!?" he asked slightly shocked and slightly angry over the sudden, and quite unprovocked punishment!

"Don't you ever." Nami hissed pointing a finger at Usopp. "Do another trick like that again! _Ever!" _she demanded.

"huh?" Usopp blinked at her.

"That stunt you did! No scratch that, all of those stunts!" Nami exclaimed. "How selfish is one person allowed to be!?" she asked.

Usopp blinked. "Nami, I really don't understand what.." he tried but was cut off again.

"How dare you just to leave the crew like that!?" Nami asked. "How do you think that made _me _feel!? It was practically impossible to make Chopper stop crying, and none of the other meat heads on this ship understands how to deal with feelings, so it was all on me to cheer Chopper up!" she stated. "And then you got the nerve, the _nerve_, to show up THAT late, and only got onboard the very last second. What the hell is the deal Usopp!? Why did you have to be so dramatic! I thought we were going to leave you behind, and do you realise how awful that felt?" Nami asked.

"Urh.. no.." Usopp swallowed not knowing how in the whole wide world to take the things in that Nami had said, or how to react to them.

"It felt REALLY awful!" Nami exclaimed with her arms high in the air. "It felt loosing a mountain of gold and be left with nothing awful!" she stated. "In fact, I should charge you for how awful it made me feel, but then again, you would NEVER be able to pay that off, even if you worked all of your life. The least you can do is to be my private slave from now on."

Usopp's mouth dropped open. "What the hell kind of sense does that make?" he asked.

In the next moment, Usopp got the surprise of his life as Nami embraced him in a tight hug. "It just means that I really, _really,_ missed you baka." She told as she let go, and then wiped a little tear from her eye. "And I am so glad you are back, though I really wish you could have done it just a little less dramatic." She told.

"Hehe." Usopp grinned nervously as he blushed. "I wasn't very far away you know, I was right there in Enies Lobby."

"I know." Nami told as she shook her head. "And I was so relieved that you were with us there, though I didn't like that stupid mask" she told in a slight annoyed murmur. "And here you left me worry that our next adventure would be without you, god Usopp." She rolled her eyes.

Amused Usopp looked at Nami, before he exhaled deeply. "Sorry." He at last said.

"You're an idiot Usopp, I hope you know that." Nami told right back as she leaned against the railing of the ship.

"Yeahhh." Usopp laughed nervously scratching his hair.

"Really, that mask." Nami sighed deeply. "First figuratively and then literately, what are you afraid of Usopp?" she asked in a roll of her eyes. "Would it really be so bad if we got to see the real you a bit more often?"

"My real me is not that impressive." Usopp reminded Nami.

"As I said, you are an idiot." Nami pouted. "The biggest idiot on this entire ship, and you are competing against Luffy, so that's saying quite a lot!"

Usopp couldn't help it, he chuckled, it was just nice to talk to Nami like this again. It was just off with all pretences when Nami was concerned. "I missed you to." He told. "It wasn't the same being Sogeking, I mean.. it was fun! I had fun, for a while.. Not having to be Usopp around the crew but some one else. Was a relief at first." He told. "But by the end, I just wanted to be Usopp again and no one else, I missed being me."

"Just don't pull a stunt like that again." Nami demanded.

"I wont." Usopp promised. "You have my word."

"Good." Nami pointed, and then she just stood there, in comfortable silence beside Usopp, as they did just that, stood in comfortable silence. Nothing needed to be said. They both just wanted to enjoy the moment, that every-thing was all-right right now… as long as it would last.


	3. Chapter 3

"Nice of you to join us this time around." Usopp commented to Chopper.

"Huh?" Chopper looked up at Usopp.

Usopp, Nami and Chopper.. had all become trapped, in a freaky mansion, on a Zombie island, with the scary Doctor Hogback some-where in the castle.

Right now they were sitting in the big bedroom that Nami was meant to sleep in doing the night, trying to get a hold on what to do next.

"What I mean is, most often it's me and Nami being stuck together some-where really dangerous. Like in little Garden, or Skypia or some-where. And now we are on a Zombie island, far away from the rest of the crew, and of cause it's _us _three out here!" he proclaimed.

"Well, there was the one time in Alabasta when it was just you and me." Chopper pointed out.

"Why don't I ever get stuck with Luffy or Robin or some-one like that?" Usopp asked.

"Luffy always end up fighting the strongest person on the entire island, so you might want to reconsider that." Nami pointed out, making Usopp shake at ones and almost falling down fainting from fright.

"Why not Zoro or Sanji?" Chopper then asked.

"When I was stuck on Zoro I swear he wanted to kill me, and Sanji would be happy to sacrifice me to safe Nami." Usopp muttered deeply leaning his head in his hand.

"_Who do you even want to be teamed up with!?_" Nami asked annoyed.

"All I'm saying, would be nice to have just one of them with us!" Usopp pointed out. "But ones again, it's us out here. And I am just asking, why is it always us?" he asked.

At last Nami sighed as she fell back in the chair she was sitting in. "Yeah right." She mumbled. "But I guess we really have gotten out of far worse together before." She pointed out.

Chopper nodded. "We actually have." He pointed out.

"Except in those situations we would have eventual back-up!" Usopp pointed out, and all three of them ended up sighing deeply and simultaneously.

"Usopp.. would you do me a favour, and just stop being so negative." Nami muttered annoyed "It's getting me down now." She told. "I swear it has gotten _a lot _worse on your part since Enies Lobby!"

"Erh.. hehe.." Usopp blushed.

"Isn't it right Chopper?" Nami asked. "Usopp has acted different since then?" she asked.

"Well now you point it out.. I guess he is acting a little different." Chopper slowly admitted. "Are you okay Usopp?" he asked innocently.

"What!? Of cause I am okay!" Usopp proclaimed as he stood up. "What reason do I have to be scared huh? I am the great Captain Usopp of cause, all I need to do is call and eight thousand men will come."

"OHHHH!" Chopper yelled as his eyes blinked. "I guess you are fine then, sorry sorry."

Nami sighed deeply. Well, Chopper was with them, which always made Usopp act up, he really liked to play hero in front of the reindeer.. maybe Chopper reminded him of his old crew whom would actually look up to him?

But Nami also recognised that Usopp had just gone straight into his hide-out as he started lying like that, he had put his mask firmly in place, and it would take some serious poking around to make him drop it.

Which Nami just didn't have the energy to right now.

"Hey you two." Nami stated as she stood up. "I'm going to take a bath, but I don't trust this creepy mansion." She told as she shivered lightly. "I'll need you two to keep watch!" she exclaimed.

"Uhh, are all three of us going to take a bath together?" Chopper asked excited.

"OF CAUSE NOT!" Nami shouted, forgetting how innocent Chopper could be that he didn't even consider Usopp's presence in that sentence. "Just.. keep Usopp company on the other side of the bath door, please." She asked more quietly.

"Okay." Chopper smiled, completely oblivious to what had just happened.

Nami sighed deeply. "Just promise me we are going to stick together in this creepy place, if we do that we'll probably come out fine."

"Oh sure!" Chopper grinned.

Usopp shook his head. "Yeah we'll be fine, we'll look out for you Nami." He told. "Promise."

"And no peeking!" Nami demanded.

"Hey, who do you think I am!?" Usopp asked. "I am not Sanji you know!" he proclaimed.

"I know you Usopp! I know you like to look after girls! Neither are you Luffy." Nami pointed out.

"So I am not blind to a good looking girl walking by?" Usopp asked. "Oh come on Nami! When have I ever tried to peek into your bathroom?"

"In Alabasta!" Nami pointed out.

"THAT WAS DIFFERENT!" Usopp shouted… though it would be very.. very hard to explain how exactly.


	4. Chapter 4

Some-thing new filled the night air un-board the sunny, some-thing they never had had before, and only Luffy had found in any-way necessary.

But now when they finally had it, every-body agreed. Luffy had been right, it felt right and it made the crew feel complete. Now when they finally had it, none of them wanted to let it go.

That sound that travelled over Sunny, it was a soft violin playing, it was like the tones would float with the night breeze, and make every-one relax, even those who were sleeping would just relax even more in their sleep.

Nami how-ever had been up late drawing maps, and as she had heard the soft tones of that, she just felt like taking a stroll while taking it in.

The calm breezes, the starry night, the perfect temperature.. not really cold, not really warm.. just perfect.

Especially after that gloomy thriller bark experience.

Looking up Nami caught eye of the crows-nest, which exspectly enough had a light turned on in it. Namie had to wrack her brain a little bit to remember whom had the first night watch that night. And then she remembered.. Usopp!

Nami smiled lightly, it would be nice to get a little alone time with Usopp, there was some things she hadn't talked to him about for a while, a couple of questions Nami had wanted to ask Usopp lately.

As Nami popped her head up in the comfortable room that was nows the crow's nest.. Nami had to crook an eye-brow.

Usopp was on his post where he was supposed to be, sitting on the couch under the window, leaning his chin in his hand, looking out at the ocean with a dreaming look in his eyes.

What was so surprising though was right in front of him.. on the table, stood a glass and a bottle of sake.

"Usopp are you drinking?" Nami asked as she crawled all the way up.

"Oh Good-evening Nami." Usopp smiled lightly at her, not even startled. Brook's music had a calming effect on every-body when the skeleton played like that, some-times Nami suspected it was some sort of out-wordly magic. "What brings you up here?" he asked.

"Oh nothing special." Nami told as she brushed off her skirt and then sat in the couch opposed Usopp. "But would you care answer me, are you drinking?" she asked.

"I just felt like having a glass." Usopp told.

"Really?" Nami asked.

"Really." Usopp promised.

"And you're sure, it's not because you are trying to get drunk or some-thing like that?" Nami asked annoyed crossing her arms.

"What no!" Usopp exclaimed. "Okay I admit it, I havn't felt well for time, but then I didn't drink cause I thought I didn't deserve it, now I feel kind of better so I felt like I could take a drink with me!" he told. "I'm allowed!" he proclaimed.

Nami blinked then looked at Usopp. "Well I am glad you are feeling better." She told. "Care to share what's different?" she asked as she took Usopp's glass and then emptied it out herself.

"Hey that was mine!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Gesh, pour up some more." Nami rolled her eyes. "What are you afraid of, getting girl gems?"

"No I.. oh never mind." Usopp sighed doing as suggested and simply poured more sake up in the glass they were apparently now sharing.

"So what's up?" Nami asked in a light smile. "How are you these days Usopp?" she told.

"I told you I am good, I.." Usopp swallowed, and then he smiled a little amused.

"What?" Nami asked now also amused.

"Thriller bark." Amused Usopp shook his head. "After we came back from there. I'm just.. I don't know, I feel so good." He told.

"Really?" Nami asked. "But I heard about the negative ghosts… that they didn't.. you know.. because apparently you always feel like that."

"No Nami." Usopp shook his head. "They worked, they made me feel even more miserable than I all-ready felt. But the thing is.. I tried feeling more miserable before than even the ghosts could make me. The negative ghosts were bad, but they were nothing compared to the day I duelled Luffy."

Confused Nami looked at Usopp. "How is that a good thing?" she asked. "Why are you smiling at that?" she asked.

"I just.. heh." Usopp shook his head as he placed a hand on his forehead. "Nami I won." He told. "I could win over Perona, because I had all-ready won over that feeling ones, it can't take me down again." He told looking amused at Nami. "Zoro couldn't fight again the negativity, Sanji couldn't fight against the negativity, not even Luffy! I was the only one, and I fought against it.. and I won! Nami I won!" he smiled. "You realise what that means?" he asked.

"It means nothing Usopp." Nami shook her head. "You were always able to do stuff no-body else in this crew could, all you did was adding a new ability to the list." She told. "All though.. that sure is a unique strength." She observed. "Good job Usopp." She smiled.

"Nami when I left Syrup, I did it to grow and become a strong warrior. I have grown!" Usopp told spreading out his arms. "I can just feel it, I am not the same person as when I left, I am much stronger."

"of cause you are, you worked hard for it." Nami told, though in a slight smile as she took their shared glass and then took a sip. "So did we all."

"Yeah." Usopp smiled. "You sure have gotten strong to in the time we have been on this ship." He grinned.

"Lets just continue this line, ei?" Nami asked in a blink.

"Yeah! I have a great feeling about the future." Usopp told. "Just you wait and see, it'll be great!" he laughed, and took a healthy mouthful of his Sake before he grinned.

But Usopp should have learned.. it would have been impossible to foresee of cause.. that it wouldn't be so long after Usopp's uplifting realisation, that tragedy happened.. and the crew, the people that had now become more than just a crew to each other, had become a true family. Whom all cared for each other, more than any-thing in the world.. were split up, teared apart, and ended at each their remote location, with no idea of what had happened to the rest.

Often Nami would stand on the tall cloud, and look at the massive look-out beneath her, where she could see lots of tiny islands out at the horizont if she squinted her eyes.

And as she did saw the islands, Nami couldn't help but wonder.. if maybe one of her Nakamas was on one of those Islands, she was willing to do a lot to see just one of them.. any of them.

She was even willing to show her panties for free if it meant Brook would come running out of no-where.

Or give Sanji a kiss on the cheek, if it meant he would climb this sky this very moment so Nami could see him.

But Nami had to wait patiently, and work hard, to see her crew-mates again.

One thing made her very relieved though, Nami tried to search her heart but.. she wasn't that worried about her crew-mates. Some-how she just knew, that they would all pull through and be stronger than ever before when she would meet them again. That was a very good reason to work hard so she wouldn't fall behind.

Even Chopper or Usopp, whom she would have been most worried about a few months back.. She wasn't to worried about, she knew they would be fine, she just wished she could see them soon.

Two years just seemed like such a long time some-times.. and yet, not time enough at all, if Nami were to learn all that she needed to learn, and become as strong as she needed to be.

* * *

A year… a year had gone by for Usopp on the living island.. isolated, and beside Heracles and the giant beatles on the island, Usopp had been all alone.

No Heracles had been great! And thankfully Usopp weren't scared of insects in particular.. only the massive ones that could swallow him whole.

And Usopp was kind of happy none of the others in the crew were they to witness… his little problem.

Thankfully this island didn't have any mirrors either.. Usopp sighed deeply, if he got to decide he would never have any breaks from his training, he was determined to use every second he had as good as he could.

But Heracles had insisted, that he go lay down by the cold water pond, maybe take a relaxing swim.

The water pond… with its reflective surface.. the way to calm, way to reflective water pond that Usopp had avoided for all of this time for a reason.

Sitting by the pond Usopp felt nervous all over again, he had very much on purpose avoided his own reflection, repulsed by his big corpus from the last time, and he hadn't seen his image since that time. He remembered it well how surprised he had been…

_"No, that's not me is it?" he asked looking at the mirror reflection. _

_"I told you, it wasn't muscles, the island were feeding you up." Heracles had responded. _

_From that moment Usopp felt absolutely horrid and absolutely sick as he turned away from the reflection and fell to the ground. "How could I do this to myself?" he asked in a sniff as he now saw how fat his arms and belly looked, how difficult it was to even bow over, he couldn't see his own toes for crying out loud!_

_Heracles sighed. "It's not really your fault, I shouldn't have brought you there without warning you, it's the natural trap of the island, the place was designed to trap and feed up any-one stumbling upon it not knowing better, ones you start eating it gets harder and harder to stop, hell I was so impressed you managed to snap out of it, I never seen any-one at that stage snap out of it before, that should be impossible! …. What are you doing?" Heracles suddenly asked. _

_"What does it looked like I'm doing?" Usopp hissed as he pressed his arms against the ground and pushed his entire enormous corpus over the ground, to lower it and then repeat the motion as big sweat drops escaped his face. "I'm working out!" _

_Heracles blinked. "Working.. out?" _

_"Heracles please promise me." Usopp hissed as he continued with the puss ups, which should be impossible for some-one his seize, obviously it was only determination driving him, letting him do this impossible feet. "Don't let me go back to that trap! What-ever I say, not matter how I may beg, don't let me go back there! I'll life of bugs, bark and water if I have to. I won't go back there!" he hissed as he rolled over and started on the stomach stretches, which were very difficult for him in his current state.. but yet he did it. _

_"Usopp.." Heracles blinked astounded. "Don't worry I promise you! We wont go back there, it'll be a strict vegetarian diet for you from now on until you are back to your old self!" _

_"You'll really help me?" Usopp asked. "Really?" _

_"Well I like you boy." Heracles admitted. "Been a long time since I had any company at all, and I guess I feel a little responsible." He admitted. _

_Usopp smiled a little thankfully. "Thanks." He told before gritting his teethes and try another stomach turn. "Yosh." Usopp hissed as he almost blackened out form the simple push ups and stomach stretches, which he had been able to do with ease only a few days ago, and he was all-ready forced to take a break if he wasn't to pass out, and still he felt so sick, so repulsed by the thought of that water reflection.. that would have to be a year ago now.. if not even more.. he had lost a bit track of time. _

Usopp shook his head. "Stop it stupid, you are not that big any-more! You can see your toes!" he exclaimed and looked down on them, wriggling them. "I can even touch them, See!" he exclaimed bowing over touching his own toes. "It can't be that bad!" he exclaimed as he stood up straight, then exhaled. "Just be glad none of the others had to see you that way usopp, god I hope I'm soon back to my old frame." he murmured.

Usopp had never been a good looker, but neither was he really bad looking. His lips, nose and eyes were hardly that of a ladies man, like for example Sanji, but Usopp had liked how he looked regardless, he looked like his mom and father, was the picture of the two, and he was very proud of that. If there was one thing he had always wanted to do some-thing about though, it was his, quite frankly, lanky frame. Which was tall for his own age, unbalanced, scrawny. He had always been a lanky odd looking figure, and he had always wished to put on just a little guff, a little more of a manly frame.. But not like he had, for ones, Usopp ended up begging and praying in his mind that he was back to his old lanky scrawny self, or at least close.

Deciding it was about to face facts, Usopp squinted close his eyes and leaned over the still pond, slowly he opened his left eye and looked down.

First Usopp blinked, then he had to take a double check, then a triple check, he looked behind his shoulder as if to check there was some-one there he hadn't noticed.. but there was no one. Then he looked at the reflective image again, lifted a hand to his chin, and witnessed the mirror image do the same, as his hand felt the unfamiliar sensation of stubbles on the chin. "WOAH!" Usopp screamed in shock and fell headfirst down in the water, before he sat up straight gasping for water. "I GOT A BEARD!" Usopp exclaimed touching all over his chin. "When in the blazes did that happen!?" he exclaimed looking down at a picture that was very hard to recognise, a fellor with a pretty long nose, it was not a boy in the reflection, but rather a very young man, whom was unshaved and as a result had stubbles cover his entire chin and cheeks. His hair which was always kept back by his bandana had grown very very long, and now fell down over his shoulders. Usopp knew his hair had grown longer, but he hadn't thought it was that long. All his hair was to him, was some-thing he had to keep out of his face when he was shooting, not any-thing to groom. Usopp wasn't exactly a vain type caring that much about such things as hair.

But then he became vain, as his face wasn't the only thing unrecognisable.. He was not back to his lanky frame as he hoped. No.. His chest and shoulder were definitely wider than before, but not because of fat, it didn't look like he had a gram of fat on him, no it was simply because of the muscle, he almost had a Zoro type body!

"Woah." Usopp gasped as he stroke a pose, looking in awe at himself. "Usopp, a man of the sea!" he laughed. "YAY!" he jumped up and down and up and down. "Wait till the other sees me, they are going to be so impressed." he laughed. "Oh Chopper, this, this is nothing, that is just what happens when a hero becomes a manly hero." he made up a story at ones. "Oh Luffy, who's the boy of the crew now huh, huh?" he asked. "Zorro can I borrow a weigh, I feel like keeping this up." he smirked kissing his upper arm. "Nami, you need me to carry any-thing? No need for Sanji to do that, Franky I can totally handle heavy machinery, what do you think.. Robin.. Brook.." Usopp silenced. "Guys." he sat down in the water looking out. "How long has it actually been now?" he questioned himself looking down. "I've actually lost track of time." he realised. "I've been so busy that it's been a while." he sighed deeply. "I hope I'll soon see all of you again." he admitted as he felt a tear pressing on, before he dipped his head, and slowly began washing his hair, really rinse all of that giant main he now had.. He could make an afro out of this hair as big as brooks if he wanted, Usopp realised.. But that was Brook's thing, not really Usopps, he didn't feel like having any Afro, such a thing would be much more of a bother than was worth for him, he needed his hair practical for sharp shooting and machine work, and he needed it under control. Maybe he should cut it?

.. He had tried cutting himself very short haired once before when he was a kid, as it had turned out, that had been a very bad idea, as completely short curly hair that grow on its own, was even more unimaginable, and would get in the way for to much when it grew a certain length, without there being any way to get it away from the face.

Usopp sighed, before he at last reached for his satchel and found a little string, which he tied his hair up with before he looked back at his reflection. "Much better." Usopp stated. "Wow, my hair is really away from the face now, neat." he realised. And he looked even more different with his hair no longer framing his face, but being pulled back, he looked.. well manly. Definitely needed a shave though. Usopp found one of his knifes, and carefully held it in his hand, unsure of what to do.. no one had ever showed him how to shave. Had he been on the ship, he would probably all blushing and embarrassed have asked Sanji or Zoro.. now he carefully tried himself. "I'm leaving a little bit." he decided. "Just because it's manly." and Usopp did very well, only nipping his chin one single time, and immediately knew what he had done wrong, he left just a little bit of beard on his chin, and stood back with his new reflection.

.. it looked so different, so not like what he remembered. It was an improvement for sure, but still. "Wonder how much the others have changed." Usopp sighed deeply as he sat down on the grass poking his nose, then halted, poked his nose one more time and then grinned. His nose was exactly the same! That sure was one feature that would never change! And Usopp grinned by the notion, also remembering that that grin was so much his and his alone, then he laughed. "It's going to be all-right." He laughed. "Just all-right, we all changed when we left for sea, any-thing else would be weird." He noted as he rolled to his tummy and lazily let his hand stir around the pond. "But it's all good, looking so much forward to see all of you again." He told… trying desperately to ignore the little tear running down his cheek.


	5. Chapter 5

Usopp sighed deeply as he stood at the railing looking out on the deep blue around it, it had gone so quick, and at ones they had all just snapped back as if two years hasn't passed at all, that just went to show how great nakamas they were!

Usopp was back! He was really really back. Heracles had said it was impossible to escape the island, but after nearly two years of training, Usopp had found a way, and funny enough, he had never doubted that he would find that way. He had to, and it was all worth it just for this simple moment back at the sunny where he could hear the noise of all the others behind him… they were all back. It was almost as if the last two years hadn't happened at all… almost.

"By the way Usopp."

Usopp looked to his left where he saw Nami lean up the railing right next to him with a smile on her face.

"The answer is yes." Nami told in a wide smile.

"huh?" Usopp asked in a blink. "Yes to what?" he asked honestly confused.

"You asked me if I would like to have a drink with you." Nami elaborated. "I never got to answer, but now I want to tell you, the answer is yes." She told. "Holding up a second drink towards Usopp."

"OH!" Usopp realised, then his mouth spread in a wide grin. "Of cause, thank you Nami!" he smiled accepting the drink she had brought.

A big crash sounded behind them, and Nami and Usopp turned around to witness Zoro and Sanji fighting, while Chopper ran around yelling that Sanji shouldn't over excert himself, while Luffy and Brook was laughing loudly.

Nami rolled her eyes. "We only been together again for like twenty minutes." She pointed out.

Usopp smiled amused. "Crazy huh?" he asked amused. "That's our crew." He exhaled happily leaning back as he observed. He knew very well the only reason he wasn't in the picture at the moment, was because he had removed himself just in time, or he would have been laughing with Luffy. Nami would have shouted at them and hit them over the head.. Even being removed from the others with Nami was still the same.

This more quiet relaxed attitude was precisely the same.

Nami seemed to notice as well as she shook her head, then turned to Usopp. "Now let me look probably at you!" she proclaimed pulling Usopp a bit forward by pulling in his arm, forcing him to stand up instead of leaning back. Then Nami took a walk around him, having a prober look.. making Usopp feel kind of exposed. He even got a prober slap in the back, and a slight knock on his chest by Namis knuckles.

"Wow." Nami blinked. "Sure looks real."

Usopp frowned confused. "Why on earth wouldn't my body be real?" he asked.

Ones again Nami showed little regard for personal space as she lifted Usopp's arm. "What on earth happened to you these two years? Did you eat nothing but steroids or some-thing?" she asked.

Usopp blushed deeply.. neglecting to tell that he had kind of been living like a rabbit for two years.

"By god Usopp, the boy have gone and become a man!" Nami stated giving Usopp's arm one big slap… that actually sort of hurt. "Who had thought?" she asked. Then grabbed his chin as she held his face firmly in place. "It is you riiiight?" she asked in a dangerous tone. "Not some imposter."

"Na-Nami!" Usopp blushed. "Please, I just.. NOT LIKE I'M THE ONLY ONE WHOM GROWN!" he suddenly shouted. "I mean, I am a great warrior of the sea you know, of cause I have to be strong, isn't that obvious."

Nami smiled amused as she let go and stood up. "There he is." She smiled. "There's Usopp."

Annoyed Usopp rubbed his chin as he stood up. "What was that about?" he asked annoyed.

"Well, just didn't want you to forget your roots." Nami shrugged. "Now that you say you graduated from the weakling trio and all of that."

Usopp rolled his eyes. "Don't be an idiot Nami, I saw your trick back at the inn. You have become plenty strong yourself as well." Then he swallowed. "I don't even dare to think how strong Luffy or Zoro is at this point." He shook quietly, making Nami smile a little amused. "I missed you." Usopp at last told. "All of you. I can't believe we are all here." He smiled warmly. "This.. this just makes it all worth it." He told.

"Agreed." Nami nodded, "And I missed you to.. don't know whether I should be happy or disappointed that when I exspect a bratty boy, a full of himself young man shows up instead." She noted with a lifted eye-brow.

"Not the only one whom have grown." Usopp repeated himself. "There's not much tomboy left over you Nami, you look like a woman!"

Nami smiled as she blushed lightly. "Thanks." Then she raised her own glass towards Usopp. "For new adventures?" she asked.

"For new adventures." Usopp smiled as he clinked the glass towards Nami.


End file.
